Thursday, February 27, 2014

There is a lot of nonsense going on right now and every freaking channel last night chose to show Justin Beiber's unsteady walk from his DUI arrest last month. That's some hard hitting news right there guys. Meanwhile, talking head after talking head keeps quoting "government" statistics that say the economic recovery is right around the corner, something which they have been telling us in earnest since 2009. It's also not true if one looks at actual statistics that haven't been altered by ignoring whole sections of the population.

It has been a nonstop parade of stupid lately. The Supreme Court today just eliminated the Fourth and Sixth amendment, making it easier for cops to search anything they want without a warrant and to seize your assets now for even petty theft. Funny how that didn't make the news. Germany is reporting another two deaths from pot use, even though, of the two people they site, one had a undiagnosed heart issue that would have killed him regardless and the other was an alcoholic with high traces of meth and coke in his system, which as we all know is far less lethal than weed. How dumb do you think most of us are?

In January, the government released figures that showed over a 3% rise in GDP, which was done by adding very questionable stats that no other country does. They did this mask the horrific retail stats from a lousy Christmas. The biggest loser was of course Target who lost a whopping 50% of their business from last year almost solely because they decided to play fast and loose with what should have been encrypted data and, as a result, led to the largest identity theft in human history. They may not recover from this giving WalMart a hard on for sure. Others did just as poorly, especially Sears and JC Penny, whose CEO's have driven them into the ground. For the first time since 2009, half of all retail chains nation wide saw a huge drop in profits. Not surprisingly, the stores that did the best, like Nordstrom's, all cater to high end consumers. The middle class and poor all stayed home as their paychecks are getting smaller and smaller and as inflation rises much higher than what Obama and the news are telling us. The biggest losers where teen retail sites, like Hot Topic, which plunged in earnings as teens have little purchasing power when jobs for them are no longer available.

The news isn't much better elsewhere. Ukraine is still worried about bank runs now that a civil war is becoming more and more likely there. Putin is putting troops on alert and if for some insane reason he decides to invade, expect WW3 soon after. I still think that is long shot at best but in today's world of abject stupidity, nothing is off the table. There is also significant reason to worry as a financial storm seems to be brewing.

Rome, Italy may go bankrupt in days Detroit style as they are running out of money. They are having the same problem the rest of the world is. Rich people and corporations are paying no taxes as the poor and middle class struggle with disappearing jobs, and thus lessening of tax dollars coming in. Instead of actually taxing people who can pay for it, countries throughout the EU decided austerity was called for, which has been an abject disaster since implemented and is still what the US republicans are clamoring for. Nothing like asking for something we can see didn't work.

While this is happening, China's shadow banking structure appears to have sprung a leak, emerging markets are starting to collapse as cheap money is no longer rolling in, and the above paragraph issues with austerity measures which are killing the EU. These are all forming to a "perfect storm" in which the world financials might go belly up, destroying the world economy. We, and others world wide, gave trillions to the banks which has done zero to prop up any economy as NO jobs have been created beyond ones that pay slave wages. Yes, trillions disappeared into shadow banks worldwide, which did absolutely nothing to fix the problem and, in fact, may have made things worse. Rich people are NOT job creators no matter how many times the GOP says it. The middle class are the real job creators and we have been decimated. Until the middle class has real purchasing power, the recovery will never happen. It already may be too late.

China is suffering through the own housing bubble, something I have been writing about for the past few years. How could anyone have seen that building whole cities that no one was going to be able to afford to live in would cause a problem? Oh that's right, everyone. Recently, China had to bail out their largest bank because of questionable loans. Sound familiar because it should? It's exactly what happened in 2008 in the US. And just like here, speculators are driving up the prices on housing and energy by as much as twenty percent. As China's middle class grows, so does wages, which is causing many manufactures to seek other places like Bangladesh, Vietnam and Thailand. This is furthering their slowdown.

Because if this, along with slowing housing, declining wages and other factors, the middle class may be seeing the end soon if a new Depression starts. George Soros bet $1.3 billion the stock market will collapse in the next 45 days. Warren Buffet has also issued the same warning to his investors that a 50% correction is highly likely and soon. This will lead to the next Great Depression for which we are all sadly unprepared for. Our economic situation is grim and no one seems to care. You will when all social services stop and the economy goes into a freefall that makes 2009 look like a dance party. Be ready because the end of the world may be closer than you think and we all allowed it to happen. Swell.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

If one wanted to solid proof that we are getting the government we deserve, look no farther than these three states, two red, one blue. What this shows is that idiocy is not always for just the Republicans, although more often than not, they cruise to an easy win in that category. But with people like Diane Feinstein who this week called every soldier, active or not, mentally ill and should never be allowed to carry a gun while at the same time fixing a no bid contract which not coincidentally went to her husband and netted them millions in the process. This woman is a demon who should have been run out of town decades ago but some of you out there keep putting get back in office. When people like this and Michelle Bachman and Alan West also get into office, the common sense of America comes into question.
Let's start with my former home of CT. I lived there for many years and saw first hand how poorly the state has been run for decades now. Corruption is beyond rampant there with sky high taxes and equally expensive rents or home prices. Even with the elimination of Rowland/Rell, who both drove the state right into the ground, has been little helped by new Governor Mallory and his too far left agenda which is going after guns and gun owners to such an extent he is costing the state millions in lost revenue as companies who have made guns there for hundreds of years are moving elsewhere, and taking good paying jobs with them. He is also decided to make felons of 96% of all gun owners in the state who have refused to comply with his new gun registry law. Seems even law abiding people don't like the idea of being told what guns they can and can't have as they watch local police getting automatic weapons, tanks (for free nonetheless) and other crowd control devices that should all of us worried.

Just recently, Marines were simulating taking down American towns in a mock up built in Virginia. Why? Are they worried about the coming economic collapse and the riots that will happen when jobs end, social programs go belly up and the New Depression starts? Sure sound like it. Fascism is alive and well and spreading like a virus and anyone voting for the Republican party at this point, especially Tea Party morons, are just asking for this form of political rape to happen. Stop voting for morons, and that includes democrats like Mallory, who do not seem to understand the 2nd amendment at all.

North Carolina is awash in problems because they idiotically voted for Pat McCrory, an energy exec who, like Dick Cheney, helped usher in an age of no regulations or oversight that is now poisoning the residents of the state. Federal charges are possible, although again unlikely, as crimes may have been committed in the cozy deals McCrory and Duke Energy have had these past few years. The fact that Duke Energy is structured in such a way that it can't be sued is telling of today's corporate nonsense. Anyone who voted for McCrory also voted to have no drinking water in the state, or environmental regulations at all for that matter. Hope you like asbestos in your food, arsenic in your water and soot in your air. You asked for it.

Lastly, we have Arizona who, much like North Carolina residents who failed to remember a snow storm from two weeks prior, seemed to have forgotten how much trouble they got into when they tried to pass anti-Hispanic legislation that cost them big time. This time it's gay people they have decides to discriminate against, which has leveled the US against them. I don't know how many times I have to say this but A HUGE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE SUPPORT GAY RIGHTS. This is being on the wrong side of history such as those who were furious about the Civil Rights Act or the end to anti-interracial marriage laws, which would have caused me problems back then as I am in an inter-racial relationship.

Since the passage of said bill, Governor Brewer finds herself in the middle of the road with no good option. If she signs it, she risks the wrath of anti-gay activists, businesses that say they will leave the state (including Apple, Google and others) as well as possibly losing the Super Bowl next year, which happened last time when they tried to pass illegal immigration laws that went way too far. If she vetoes it, Tea Party types will have a fit and God knows what those morons will do. Angry letters in crayon at least, I would suspect. Some who have voted for it have expressed remorse and wished they could go back and vote no for all the flack they are getting.

Religious types are saying their religious freedoms are being suppressed, but nowhere in the Constitution does it give anyone the right to discriminate no matter what you believe. We also have countless laws that say discrimination against race, creed, religion or disability is against the law, and just want to add sexual preference to that list which we should. No human should be told they are a lesser because of their sexual desires, unless kids or pets are involved. We do have to draw the line somewhere and few would argue against that. The point is, gays are going to be a recognized class of protected citizens. Texas just struck down their anti-gay laws, another in a long line of that in the reddest of states. If Texas courts say anti-gay marriage laws are unconstitutional, everyone also will. Arizona better wake up and realize this ship has sailed. Pass it and face the wrath of way too many people for them not get run over. Hotels and conference halls are already seeing a record number of cancellations, due to people saying "thanks but no thanks. I'll go to a friendly gay state like OK or Nebraska." If those are getting better reputations than Arizona, they are really screwed.

Monday, February 24, 2014

North Korea was given a stern warning that they may be facing war crimes for all the garbage that country does. China, by association, also faces criticism for backing the totalitarian regime. I am sure glad that neither country has nuclear weapons (roll eyes and sigh). Let's see those runner ups.

1)McDonalds- These guys are rapidly becoming like Walmart and doing every douchebag thing they can think of. It's bad enough they serve substandard food while paying their employees slave wages (while reaping billions in profits) but this week they hit a new low. A New York employee who had worked for the fast food chain for the past eight years was fired for paying out of pocket for a firefighter's order who had put out a nearby house fire. She and others had paid for the meals out of pocket after management nixed the idea of giving them the food for free, which the owner did for police on a regular basis. When corporate found out, they fired her. They made up the usual lame excuse for her firing that we have to suffer from as we have NO protection thanks to anti-union sentiment, and she was given the heave ho. As McDonalds revenues are dropping fast, this kind of attention can only make them drop further. Screw McDonalds and their corporate overlords.

2)Pastor Jamie Coots- One of the dumbest religions on the planet are the snake handlers in the rural south where idiots handle deadly serpents, sure in their devout faith that God will protect them. He must have taken the day off this past week because the star of some idiotic reality show I have never heard of, Jamie Coots, was bitten and died. That is funny. It reminds me of the old story about the frog and snake and when the snake bites the frog and he asks why, the snake responds, "because I am snake." The stupidity of mankind never ceases to amaze me. What part of "the Bible is not all true" can people not get through their tiny skull?

3)Florida Juries and black people- This week a Florida jury once again proved their complete disdain for common sense when once again they failed to come up with a decision against Michael Dunn. Nevermind the fact Dunn shot a car full of unarmed teens, killing Jordan Davis, the jury got hung up on murder charges and on that sole charge a mistrial was declared. The fact that they couldn't decide between first degree murder, second degree murder and manslaughter, all of which they had the option to do, proves my point that the general public is no longer qualified to listen to cases. As we have dumbed down the populace so much, these brainpowers wouldn't have been able to make a decent lunch order let alone convict someone who should have been found guilty. On the flip side, black people went nuts with the usual crap of "No Justice, No peace," and descended on the court with lynch mob mentality. Just like Trayvon Marton, no one in the black community seems to understand that Davis was partially responsible for his own death by acting like a jackass. Did he deserve to get shot? No. Did he ask to get shot? He sure did. And it's not like Dunn got away scot free as he faces 60 years in prison for charges he was found guilty of. Until the black community starts taking responsibility for their kids, this is going to continue, but in today's "everyone is at fault but me" mentality, that seem to permeate throughout black and Republican society, this will happen again.

4)Joe The Plumber- This douchebag has resurfaced, this time as a new employee of Chrysler, which is a union job. When this guy ran unsuccessfully for Congress he was all anti-union and kept telling us how bad for business they are. Now that he needs a job however, unions are just fine with him. What a freaking hypocrite. I hope he loses an arm in some "industrial accident."

5)Hot Pockets- I have always thought that Hot Pockets tasted like someone had used Simpson school lunch meat (circus animals and filler) that had been left out in the sun for a few years. Turns out, I wasn't that far off. Two of their "Philly Cheese steak" varieties were pulled from shelves because "they were unfit for human consumption." EEEEWWWWW. Seems Central Valley Meat Co. used diseased animals for their meat which is just as disgusting as it sounds. This is not the first time this company has been found to be distributing unsound products, with several recalls over that last few years, including bits of plastic in their food and for mistreatment of their livestock. Parent company Nestle is no stranger to controversy as they have been one of the top companies trying to restrict water rights across the planet. It is also telling that Central supplies 16% of all school meat in CA. Again, see Simpsons meat from above and tell me it's not accurate.

6)FEMA- Anyone who says we are not living in a proto-fascist state needs to see this. FEMA, very quietly, has changed their flood maps nationwide to exclude rich communities from federal flood plain maps, thus letting them pay far less in insurance costs even though they live in high risk areas. One condo group in Palm Springs which floods regularly, saw their premiums drop from hundreds of thousands to less than ten grand a year. Meanwhile, people who are barely getting by have seen FEMA alter their maps to now claim them instead. In MA, Saugus was just such a town. Yes it floods regularly, but not the whole town which the map now encompasses. Residents have complained that they haven't had a flood in some of these areas in over forty years but now have to pay through the nose for insurance just cause while rich areas are getting much lower costs supported on tax payers backs. Ain't America grand?

7)Muslim Terrorists- This week, some brain powers in Egypt decided that going after tourism is the way to defeat the government and blew up a bus with South Korean tourists on it. They then gave an ultimatum for all tourists to leave by Tuesday or face more attacks. This is the surest way to lose any conflict, as demonstrated by Sun Tzu and seen countless time from Vietnam to Afghanistan. If you lose the public's faith in you, the war is over. Vietnam alienated both the indigenous populace and the people at home whose stomach for war was tested. As a result, we lost. Muslim terrorists are going to get their heads handed to them if the Egyptian economy gets wrecked and people start starving in the street because of it. Expect lynch mobs soon to start attacking anyone who even seems overly religious if this continues.

8)Obama and the Republicans- Proof that Obama is Republican light, the President has joined forces with John Boehner and a hundred and fifty house Republicans to get the awful TPP passed. That's right, Obama and the Tea Party want this thing passed while a huge majority of Democrats have said "no way." Anyone who thinks voting for the GOP is still a good thing will be in a whole lot of hurt if this thing passes as the America you know will end right afterward. Good jobs? Gone. The environment? Destroyed. Fascism? Here to stay. In the next election, we can no longer vote for any corporatist and that includes Hillary, Christie and any other douchebag that is not going to stand up for the little guy.

9)North Korea- The UN issued a statement that Kim Jung Un and others could face war crimes for their actions which are killing millions in their own country. The ICC may press charges against the country which will most likely have no effect as they have no way of extraditing anyone from their and as they have nukes, war is even less likely. North Korea is killing their populace and because we refused to do anything about it in 1994, the world is far less safe. All those idiots who say what's the worst thing that could happen if Iran gets nukes conveniently overlook North Korea which may one day actually use them. We don't allow five year olds to play with loaded weapons, but dangerous regimes with planet ending weaponry is just fine. So congratulations North Korea you are indeed douchebag of the week.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

In a recent interview with Bret Easton Ellis, the author described today's youth as seriously hyper-sensitive over everything and seriously out of touch with anything that matters. While this certainly does not apply to every youth today (I know several who do not fit this stereotype) it is a stereotype that is right more often than not. He dubbed them Generation Wuss, which I think is very apt.

Today's children have been brought up to think they all special and unique and everyone should get everything they deserve. They have been given participation awards so no one feels left out. They have removed sports, and even recess, in some schools because of the possibility of injury, no matter how remote. And then we wonder why kids are so freaking fat. The state has driven out all critical thought and reasoning and replaced it with standardized testing that is making them incapable of rational thought. And they cry and whine when things don't go their way, no matter how pointless and small it seems to the rest of us.

Let's start with cyber bullying, which has led some of the overly sensitive to kill themselves. Now bullying is wrong in any form, but in my day, name calling was not an excuse to hang yourself from the rafters. We used to get physically beaten, like I did on a daily basis in Junior High. Then I learned martial arts and that stopped quick when I beat a former bully so bad he had to go the hospital. I also had to go to remove a lodged tooth from his mouth embedded in my knuckle. I still have the scar to prove it. Guess what? I was never bullied again.

But today's youth are so coddled that when someone calls them a name they don't like, they crumble. Good luck in the rat race where things can be much, much worse and which these cry babies will not have the wherewithal to get ahead without bursting into tears.

There was recent case of two Texas Southern University of Law students who sued the school for getting a D minus which caused them "emotional issues." They argued that they wrote papers that should have been graded better, but because the teacher didn't agree with their positions, he gave them a crappy grade. Welcome to the real world where that is exactly what happens everywhere at all times. I had the same problems in school, especially from a teacher going through a bitter divorce who started failing all her male students. I dropped her class and the next semester she left on an "extended sabbatical." She never returned. The case was thrown out by the way.

And then there is Jonathan Martin, the guy who quit the Dolphins because Richie Incognito was bullying him. WWWWWWAAAAAAAAAA! You're a grown man for god's sake on a football team and you couldn't stand up for yourself. I'm half his size and crippled and I wouldn't have taken Incognito's nonsense for two seconds. If someone says "Hey, you're spending $30,000 for the team to party," my response would have been, "Go to hell." If they then went on to call me racist or hurtful terms, I'd give it right back to them. And if he threw a punch, I'd lay him out. Instead, Martin fled the team, crying about how he couldn't take it anymore. That is the very definition of the word WUSS. How hard is it to stand up for yourself?

The ultimate example was Occupy Wall Street, a moment I thought today's youth would stand up to the powers that be and instead folded like a bed sheet. Across the planet, young people in Egypt, Thailand, Turkey and the Ukraine, to name just a few, have stood up to the powerful and dared them to kill them. Our youths, when faced with the police throwing them out of placed like Zuccotti Park, left and never returned. Not only did they not fight back, they gave up. WTF? This is ultimate in being a wuss when faced with the chance to change things and put your life on the line, like I do writing about things that could make me dead quick, these pussies scurry like rats back into their parents basement for pot and video games. Gag!

Some of today's youth are pissed that Ellis is calling them out but it's hard to argue with the fact that today's youth are massively unprepared for modern society, scream about things like the name The Washington Redskins being so very hurtful and akin to the word nigger, which it isn't, seem to have an almost pathological avoidance of any news that doesn't directly affect them and are so narcissistic that they have to selfie and Facebook everything they do no matter how trivial. We are raising a group of kids that are falling further and further behind in the world and who lack even the most basic forms of respect, dignity or intelligence. More than half of today's kids get into college somehow and then figure out they can barely write or read. People like Jordan Davis got shot because they lacked anything resembling common sense which is not to aggravate anyone you don't know, as you have no idea their mental state or if they are armed. Davis acted like a dick and died because of it. He didn't deserve to get shot but he certainly asked for it. Same goes for the knockout game which would have never happened in my days as we were smart enough to not attack random people who may kill you for acting stupid.

Generation Wuss is all too true unfortunately, no matter how much today's youth may whine otherwise. The point of this is that any youth out there has the ability to change this. Start fighting for your rights. Stop accepting failure and do something about it which doesn't require acting like a spoiled brat. And for the love of God, stop being so sensitive to every name you get called. Trust me, a beating is much worse than words. The world is dying and only the young today can stop it. That has to be the most depressing sentence I have ever written. Please prove me wrong and start standing up for yourself. The lives of everyone you know depends on it.

Monday, February 17, 2014

The news as of late is pretty bleak. I am not talking about the nightly news who seem obsessed with everything from the Olympics to Justin Beiber's latest antics. Meanwhile the house we live in is burning down around us and no one seems to care. How come people in Turkey, Egypt, and the Ukraine, to name just a few, are rioting in the streets for their freedom while at home, things are every bit as bad but we do nothing but sit on the couch eating cheese doodles and watching crap TV? Have we really become such a Brave New World "utopia" where the general populace is too drugged, tired and stupid to care? Certainly seems that way.

Let's start with the state of business in this country which has been stealing everything not nailed down for the past forty years and some of you yokels out there are fighting for that. WTF? Workers in Tennessee voted down a union because as some brain powers put it, "we never had one before, why need one now?" Because companies are using you as slave labor and paying you peanuts while they get rich beyond words that's why, moron. The fact that many of you out there can't see it does not bode well for out future.

We pay our workers nothing allegedly to get the best and brightest to run these Fortune 500 companies. The odd fact is, most of these people couldn't work the drive through at McDonalds without help and are subsequently running these same companies into the ground. Take Ron Johnson, former CEO of JC Penny. His bone headed decision to eliminate sales and coupons while trying to market to young affluent hipsters, who barely register as an economic force anyway, drove JC Penny to near bankruptcy. Yet, he still walked away with a sizable golden parachute while the company itself hovers over insolvency.

And then there is Sears CEO Eddie Lambert who believes in Ayn Rand to such an extent, he based his company's philosophy on it and guess what? It failed miserably like all "free market" approaches have. His attempt to pit managers against one another in some weird Hunger Games like scenario did not build loyalty, a direct nod to Rand's ideal worker as a selfish bastard. Like typical vulture capitalists he has milked the company of all funds, most likely divesting himself of Sears stock before driving it into the ground, making himself a fortune in the process. This is the modern model which is to grab as much cash as possible while caring less what happens to all the workers you are putting out of business. Lambert has been called one of the worst CEO's in the US right now and as his hedge fund has also dropped 40% over the last five years, you can tell this guy is treading water right now. When he goes down however, he'll swim to shore leaving thousands without a job. Awesome.

And how many of these workers are storming his office to throw him from the roof? Zero. What a bunch of pussies. we have become. I risk my life writing this stuff and the best I get from America is a shrug and a "what am I going to do" attitude. For starters, get off your fat ass and start telling EVERYONE what is going on. Link this site and others like it. Cannonfire.com is quite good. Check it out.

In a widely unreported story, five bankers have died under mysterious circumstances over the past month. One died from a nail gun to his head (Ouch!) while another, first said to have jumped off a building witnessed by dozens, now turns out to have died on the roof of undisclosed causes. Nice bit of journalism there. Even odder, the story didn't appear in ANY news story until ten days after his death and they still got the facts wrong. There are two interesting ideas why this is happening. Here's a list of the dead bankers from the Daily Sheeple:

January 11, 2014MISSING:David Bird, 55, long-time reporter for the Wall Street Journal working at the Dow Jones news room, went for a walk on Saturday, January 11, 2014 near his New Jersey home and disappeared without a trace. Mr. Bird was a reporter of the oil and commodity markets which happened to be under investigation by the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations for price manipulation.January 26, 2014DECEASED: Tim Dickenson, a U.K.-based communications director at Swiss Re AG, was reportedly found dead under undisclosed circumstances.DECEASED:William Broeksmit, 58, former senior manager for Deutsche Bank, was found hanging in his home from an apparent suicide. It is important to note that Deutsche Bank is under investigation for reportedly hiding $12 billion in losses during the financial crisis and for potentially rigging the foreign exchange markets. The allegations are similar to the claims the institution settled in 2013 over involvement in rigging the Libor interest rates.January 27, 2014DECEASED: Karl Slym, 51, Managing director of Tata Motors was found dead on the fourth floor of the Shangri-La hotel in Bangkok. Police said he “could” have committed suicide. He was staying on the 22nd floor with his wife, and was attending a board meeting in the Thai capital.January 28, 2014DECEASED: Gabriel Magee, 39, a JP Morgan employee, died after reportedly “falling” from the roof of its European headquarters in London in the Canary Wharf area. Magee was vice president at JPMorgan Chase & Co’s (JPM) London headquarters.Gabriel Magee, a Vice President at JPMorgan in London, plunged to his death from the roof of the 33-story European headquarters of JPMorgan in Canary Wharf. Magee was involved in “Technical architecture oversight for planning, development, and operation of systems for fixed income securities and interest rate derivatives” based on his online Linkedin profile.It’s important to note that JPMorgan, like Deutsche Bank, is under investigation for its potential involvement in rigging foreign exchange rates. JPMorgan is also reportedly under investigation by the same U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations for its alleged involvement in rigging the physical commodities markets in the U.S. and London.Regarding the initial reports of his death, journalist Pam Martens of Wall Street on Parade astutely exposed the controlled, scripted details of the media accounts surrounding Magee’s death in an article written on February 9, 2014. Ms. Martens writes:

“According to numerous sources close to the investigation of Gabriel Magee’s death, almost nothing thus far reported about his death has been accurate. This appears to stem from an initial poorly worded press release issued by the Metropolitan Police in London which may have been a result of bad communications between it and JPMorgan or something more deliberate on someone’s part.” [Emphasis added].

Ms. Martens also notes:

No solid evidence exists currently to suggest that the death was a suicide. In fact, there is a strong piece of evidence pointing in the opposite direction. Magee had emailed his girlfriend, Veronica, on the evening of January 27 to say that he was about to leave the office and would see her shortly. [Emphasis added].

Based on information she developed, it appears likely that Magee did not meet his fate on the morning his body was discovered, but hours earlier. Considering the possibility that Magee might now have died in the manner publicized, Ms. Martens offers speculation, and notes it as such:If Magee became aware that incriminating emails, instant messages, or video teleconferences were not turned over in their entirety to Senate investigators or Justice Department prosecutors, that might be reason enough for his untimely death.Looking at the death of Magee in the context of a larger conspiracy, it is difficult not to suspect foul play and media manipulation.January 29, 2014DECEASED: Mike Dueker, 50, who had worked for Russell Investment for five years, was found dead close to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington State. Dueker was reported missing on January 29, 2014. Police stated that he “could have” jumped over a fence and fallen 15 meters to his death, and are treating the case as a suicide.Before joining Russell Investments, Dueker was an assistant vice president and research economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis from 1991 to 2008. There he served as an associate editor of the Journal of Business and Economic Statistics and was editor of Monetary Trends, a monthly publication of the St. Louis Federal Reserve.In November 2013, the New York Times reported that Russell Investments was one of several investment companies that were under subpoena from New York State regulators investigating potential “pay-to-play” schemes involving New York pension funds.February 3, 2014DECEASED: Ryan Henry Crane, 37,was the Executive Director in JPMorgan’s Global Equities Group. Of particular relevance is that Crane oversaw all of the trade platforms and had close working ties with the now deceased Gabriel Magee of JPMorgan’s London desk. The ties between Mr. Crane and Mr. Magee are undeniable and outright troublesome. The cause of death has not yet been determined, pending the results of a toxicology report.February 6, 2014DECEASED: Richard Talley, 57, was the founder and CEO of American Title, a company he founded in 2001. Talley and his company were under investigation by state insurance regulators at the time of his death. He was found in the garage of his Colorado home by a family member who called authorities. Talley reportedly died from seven or eight “self-inflicted” wounds from a nail gun fired into his torso and head.
Here's a link to the rest of the story which goes into an alleged connection between the CIA, JP Morgan and the NYPD. http://www.thedailysheeple.com/exposing-what-lies-beneath-the-bodies-of-dead-bankers-and-what-lies-ahead-for-us_022014. The article concludes that these bankers were killed because they knew too much and had to go, lest they whistleblower the truth about this dangerous connection. Is it true? Hard to say, but it is worth reading.

And then there is this idea that was the basis for an unfinished screenplay I wrote some time back: companies are taking life insurance polices out on workers in case of untimely death. What if these same companies started killing these same people to collect on the policies, especially if the institutions were possibly going to fail? JP Morgan enters the fray again, this time being accused of offing these bankers for big paydays. Recent studies done in house in the banking world show people are living longer than expected, making these policies even more expensive. If corporations are truly psychotic, and they are, killing their employees for money is not such a huge stretch. JP Morgan has $12 billion in unfunded liabilities with this issue. AIG has $971 million. Much like credit default swaps, which are still going on, if this bubble bursts, these banks are going to need a huge influx of cash or they will go under and I don't know if we have the political will or even ability to bail them out again. If we don't, the world economy may go belly up. Hell.

Foreclosures are still a massive problem, regardless of what the news tells you, and banks are sitting on perhaps millions of empty homes with no way to get rid of them. The only reason they are holding on to them is that if they flood the market, the housing market crashes again. If they hold on to them indefinitely, they hemorrhage money as well. Either way, it is a disaster waiting to happen.

In all of this comes news that inflation is rising, regardless of what the government is telling us. Chicken, beef and bacon have all risen double digits this past year, but as the Inflation Index doesn't contain food or energy, it sees inflation as a measly 2-3% which is bull. True inflation is somewhere between 11-20% PER YEAR if we add in health care, food, tuition and energy which the government ignores in their stat analysis.

As salaries have not risen an iota in over forty years, thanks to idiots like those in TN who say unions are not needed then wonder why their paycheck is getting smaller and smaller, people are starting to really feel the pinch. Even worse, we may see huge spikes in things like cable, due to the end of net neutrality and monopoly mergers; energy, due to the fact we are spending no money on trying to get off fossil fuels, and new regulations may spike energy costs 80% as well; and water which is becoming unsafe to drink in one of the richest countries in the world and may rise in costs to clean it. Everything above is part of the GOP agenda so vote for republicans at your own risk, knowing full well you are killing yourself, your children, and your country. Are the democrats much better? Hell no. But the republicans are actively trying to kill me and the rest of us so I think getting rid of them first is paramount. Once those idiots are gone, we can focus on the democrats and get rid of most of them next. The alternative is to sit in front of the TV, drink our polluted water, eat out tainted food, watch crap TV and wait to die. Or we can start fighting back and demanding more from our society. Our time is almost up and if we do not do something about it soon it will be far too late. What are you doing to change the world?

Sunday, February 16, 2014

It has become abundantly clear this week that a sizable portion of the people of this country are too stupid to have anything resembling rational thought. I have watched people rally against Bill Nye for daring to have science be the backbone of our society. I have seen people do things so dumb that they actually lost their lives because of it. These are the ultimate lemmings destroying our country in the process and it HAS TO STOP! Let's see those runner ups in a really crowded week of stupidity.

1)Muslim terrorists- My favorite story this week of abject stupidity goes to an unnamed terrorist in Iraq who blew up himself and a class of 21 would be suicide bombers when the vest he was showing them blew up killing everyone. Even funnier, many Iraqis danced in the streets over the news, showing that the average Iraqi just wants to get by in peace and these douche nozzels are ruining it for everyone. Nice to know dumb people exist everywhere I guess and not just here. It also shows God may have a weird sense of humor.

2)Gary James- As mentioned in an earlier article, this brain trust decided to throw out of his eatery, Gary's Chicano Club, a guy in a wheelchair causing a spotlight to be shone on his less than stellar racial and economic views which include racist and bigoted ideas on anyone not a white, old Republican. Morons like John Stossel, defended his practice of kicking out cripples, gays and blacks not realizing that, for the most part, that is illegal and against the Americans With Disabilities Act as well as anti-racial statutes. Gay people are screwed for the most part as most states don't recognize bigotry against them but this guy has more than enough other issues to sink him. He's going to get sued and most likely, fined by local governments who will be pressured to act. He may have been around for 44 years but do not bet on 45, loser. Oh and that confederate flag you have proudly set up: I hope you choke on it.

3)Danish Zoos- In what can only be described as one of the most vile things so far this year, a Danish zoo decided to kill a giraffe due to "inbreeding" concerns. Nevermind the fact that this explanation has been thoroughly discredited or that several other zoos offered to take the giraffe off their hands, they decided death was better. Then, they shot the poor creature in full view of everyone at the zoo, including many children who will have this to talk to with their therapist until they are 90, and proceeded to cut it up and feed it to the lions. WTF? A second zoo attempted to do the exact same thing before protests made them think twice and then decided against it. What the hell is wrong with Danish people? There is no way this was the best course of action.

4)Comcast/Time Warner merger- Many years ago, while living in CT, Joe Lieberman, championed a bill to deregulate cable companies. By doing so, he said competition would increase and prices would go down. I wrote him several times begging him not to go through with it as my research suggested a huge rise in cable prices and no new competition to speak of. Guess who turned out to be right? This latest merger will make prices go up even further for everyone, limit competition and may even give control of the internet to a handful of companies. With net neutrality still dead, this could lead to radical changes in our internet for which we will have even further erosion between the have and have nots. Make your voice heard that this is a bad idea or do nothing and start taking out loans to pay for your cable and internet. Your choice.

5)US Skaters- You guys suck. In speed skating, they tried blaming the outfits for losing badly in every race, but even after they changed to something even less flattering, they still finished poorly. Rumors have swirled that many are making the Olympic teams, not because they are the best at the sport, but because they are the best looking at the sport. One of the reasons figure skater Ashley Wagner was allegedly picked over superior skater Mirai Nagasu was marketability. It was only the fourth time in Olympic history that someone was picked who did not finish in the top three and the first for non injury reasons. All three skaters this time around are blond. All three skaters this time are getting creamed by the Russians and the Chinese. You do the math. I'd also like to point out that Asian skaters almost always make the podium and this year is no different. So why pick someone to sell Cheerios when they won't even make the stage? Sigh.

6)Climate Deniers- If I hear one more person say global warming is a hoax because it's snowing out, I am going to puke blood. Climate change causes things like jet stream alterations, more moisture in the atmosphere and thus, snow. Winter is going to be cold, and in some places, bitterly cold. We are breaking records still more on the hot side than the cold by the way per year and 2013 looks to be one of the hottest on record again. Climate change is real. Deal with it.

7)Obama- This dick has really pissed me off this week on so many things. Thankfully, even the democrats have decided not to back some of his fascist agenda. Obama, in the past, has asked for cuts to SS and Medicare that a majority of the left has said no to. Now comes word that Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have both publically disavowed the TPP as going nowhere thanks to people like myself educating you out there how bad this plan was. Incidentally, NO major network or newspaper covered this story at all so way to go douchebags. Then, in true cronyism form, he nominates not one, not two, but three people to ambassadorships whose sole qualification for the job is they gave money to his campaign. None of the three have any dealings with Norway, Argentina or Iceland, nor have they even visited the countries in question. Sad. Lastly, Obama gave new instructions to the banks on how to deal with legal pot growers in CA, WA and CO. It basically said, "Go ahead at you own risk." Are you kidding me? This is not something he can blame on Congress as this requires NO congressional action. This is foot dragging for no reason. Legal growers have to deal in cash only transactions and these "new" requirements come across as more Big Brother keeping tabs on customers rather than economic freedom. Banks have wisely said they will probably not change anything due to the fact that they are still open to prosecution. Owners meanwhile are having to spend a fortune on security that liquor stores and gas stations that sell cigarettes do not have to suffer through. End prohibition today and let's make some money.

8)Chemicals- Speaking of dick moves by Obama, comes this new study that chemicals in everything are killing us. Obama recently allowed higher levels of arsenic and radiation in our water supply which scientists estimate will kill thousands more every year. Awesome. Children are the most
susceptible and may be why there is such an increase in autism, ADD and even peanut allergies.
This is from Healthland.com:

The five leading chemicals are lead, methylmercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (found in electric transformers, motors and capacitors), arsenic (found in soil and water as well as in wood preservatives and pesticides), and toluene (used in processing gasoline as well as in paint thinner, fingernail polish, and leather tanning). Exposure to these neurotoxins was associated with changes in neuron development in the fetus as well as among infants, and with lower school performance, delinquent behavior, neurological abnormalities, and reduced IQ in school-aged children. New research has six more. These are manganese, fluoride, chlorpyrifos, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, tetrachloroethylene, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers. Manganese, they say, is found in drinking water and can contribute to lower math scores and heightened hyperactivity, while exposure to high levels of fluoride from drinking water can contribute to a seven-point drop in IQ on average. The remaining chemicals, which are found in solvents and pesticides, have been linked to deficits in social development and increased aggressive behaviors.
Now as Obama, for unknown reasons, has increased allowable amounts in our water and food, more children are going to be affected. This has to stop and soon.

9)EPA- I hate the EPA for reasons far different than the right who hates the ideas of a clean environment. The EPA sucks because they are worthless stooges who fight against everything they shouldn't, like the NRA or PETA does. Turns out the EPA wants to ban wood stoves that 90% of won't meet the overly strict environmental standards. As millions heat the homes with wood stoves, banning them will either drive people further into poverty or they will freeze to death instead. Some states are going even further to try to ban fireplaces as well as wood burning water heaters. What next, are you going to take away BBQ's and hibachi's? Montreal is attempting to ban all fireplaces within city limits. Good luck with that. This is pure insanity that will result in people dying.

10)Republicans- As bad as Obama was this week, the GOP was worse. Bob Corker (R-TN)committed a crime, for which we will never get prosecuted, when he suggested to union workers that their jobs were in jeopardy if they voted for a union, which is against the law. A local politician, also a Tea Party moron, threatened to withhold state funds if the union went through. The odd part is the company, VW, had no problem with a union. Neither did the workers. Only the Republicans had a fit about it and convinced the sheeple to vote it down. Sad. Ted Cruz attempted to shut the government down again, against the advice of his own party, and made several Republicans vote for raising the debt ceiling which had it not been raised, would have caused the US to default on it's debt and crash the economy. The GOP has killed any chance of immigration reform, dooming their chances past 2014. This is a party on life support.

11)Sheeple- There have been so many stories of average Americans being dumber than dirt. Let's start with the most obvious. Two weeks ago, Atlanta was at a standstill due to several inches of snow. Learning from their mistake, Georgia shut everything down and things rapidly returned to normal. However, anyone living within the state of NC proved to be the dumbest humans on earth when many went against the advice of officials who warned people to stay home. Schools were closed as were some government offices. Not heeding any of the warnings were millions of shmucks who went to work anyway and then were shocked that they were stuck in the exact same scenario Atlanta went through two weeks earlier. How can you now remember what happened just two weeks prior? A recent study done shows how stupid we really are. A survey done by the American Association for the Advancement of Science said the average score for basic science questions was 5.8 out of ten right. These were not hard questions. One in four didn't know the sun does NOT revolve around the Earth. Half didn't know about evolution as well as almost 40% who knew nothing about the Big Bang. 42% said astrology was highly or sort of scientific. Christ. In related news, 92% of Chinese people who took the same test, said astrology was bunk and this is from a people whose past is filled with astrological notions. The survey also showed more and more people getting their news from the internet, which is a good news/bad news scenario. If they are reading blogs like this, they are going to be smarter than anyone who watches Fox News. If all they read is right wing/left wing crap, they are going to be very, very stupid. And unfortunately, the latter seems to be what everyone is actually doing. Here is a link to the study which does not paint most Americans as very bright: http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind14/content/chapter-7/c07.pdf

As long as we continue to vote idiots into office, as long as we fail to stand up and say no more to draconian government/corporate rules, as long as we act like sheeple, we are going to all die. If you know a sheeple, either convince that person he is wrong, or, ridicule that person at every possible instance. There is no other side to certain debates and I am tired of hearing about it. This country needs an enema. So congratulations sheeple, you are killing us all and are indeed douchebags of the week.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Anyone who reads this column knows I wholeheartedly support gay rights. There were two major stories this week, one of which got lots of press and another that got swept under the rug. One is a story of courage I wish more Americans had. The other is a story of a man who's business should be run out of town.

Let's start with the positive story. Michael Sam, a college football player from the University of Missouri, came out this week as gay. He is expected to be a mid-level pick for the next draft which would make him the first openly gay man in the NFL. Not surprisingly, the result has been mostly positive. Unlike what the rabid right thinks, a vast majority of people living in the 21st century do not care about someone's sexual orientation. If someone is gay so be it. As sexuality is NOT a choice, doesn't that mean God is making a lot of defective equipment then? Just saying.

But of course there are always some who have to be douchebags and in what can only be described as true irony, a lot of them are black conveniently forgetting that not too long ago, people treated them the way they treat gays. If you are black and still want to see what racism still looks like, go to the Irish countryside and see how you get treated. You won't like it. Some of these people will say the word "nigger" right to your face. That's what you are doing to gays.

The worst was Jonathan Vilma of the Saints who questioned showering with him. Does he think himself so irresistible that no man could resist getting sexually attracted to him? He wisely retracted what he said but still represents what a minority of players may be thinking but not saying. Vilma is supposedly going to be released by the Saints due to injury, and may have problems getting a new team to take him. His comments are not helping his career.

Michael Sam on the other hand has done something both very brave and very smart. He has elevated his standing in the draft due to his sexuality which some teams will see as a positive, and even monetary, gain. Attendance, good will and merchandising may increase exponentially for anyone who gets him. Sam will also become a lightning rod for advertisers looking for a gay role model to be their spokesperson, which will probably not be Chick-Fil-A or Papa John's.

On the flip side of this is Gary James, owner of Gary's Chicaros Club in OK, who got more press than he can handle over his dismissal of a guy in a wheelchair from his business. Turns out, ole Gary here is also a bigoted homophobe who sells t-shirts with "no nigger zone" on them as well as denying access to his business anyone who is gay, black, crippled, or even on welfare, as if he'd know. James has defended his practice as businesses can deny service to anyone, not realizing that discrimination is actually illegal against all of the above, except gay who get NO protection in draconian states like Oklahoma. What a dick.

James proudly displays a confederate flag which really should have one with a swastika right next to it. How long will it take morons to realize that flag is offensive to many, many people, regardless of race? You lost a war a hundred and fifty years ago. Get over it.

Here is the really funny part. People pissed at this old white bastard have taken over his Yelp and Facebook page and, instead of writing reviews about how bad the place is or the food, they have instead called it the "greatest gay bar in OK." That's funny. Pictures of James have been photo-shopped next to male dancers as well as a fake Facebook page which promotes it as a gay bar. It would be great if hordes of gay men and women descended on the bar like a plague and refuse to leave.

Idiots like John Stossel, possibly the worst human on all of Fox News as if that's possible, has defended James saying he has the right in a "free market" to deny access to whoever he wants, not realizing that there are discrimination laws that specifically say you can't. He could be shut down because of it. Denny's learned that the hard way after three black secret service agents were denied service, sued and won $54 million in the settlement. Lawsuits against this idiot are not far behind for refusing to serve a guy in a wheelchair. Enjoy bankruptcy moron.